Of Owners and Pets
by Shinigami's Soldier
Summary: Chocolatecolored hair covered a pale face lined with smudges of dirt and dried blood. Torn catlike ears pressed flat against the sides of his head, and a tail with bare patches swung madly behind him as he thought out his escape. It’s unfortunate for him
1. Prologue

Of Owners and Pets

_Chocolate-colored hair covered a pale face lined with smudges of dirt and dried blood. Torn cat-like ears pressed flat against the sides of his head, and a tail with bare patches swung madly behind him as he thought out his escape. It's unfortunate for him that there will be none._

Rated: R

Pairings: 1+OC, 2+OC, 1+2 (All are friendship pairings or Owner/Pet)

Warnings: The major theme in this fanfic uses the concept of owners/pets, but with the owners being humans and the pets being half human/half animal. If you don't like the idea of one human owning another (or owning a half human) then do not read. There will also be angst, violence, language, OOCness, death and a mention of rape.

Summary: "Pets" were created to be the perfect companion for the sick of body or mind. Half Human and half animal, combining the devotion and love given only by an animal with the intelligence of a human so they could care for themselves and their needy owners. Yet it wasn't long before they became more popular with the general public, thus leading five scientists to uncover the secret that led to mass reproduction of the species….

Notes: Words in **bold type** are flashbacks, words in _italics_ show writing or, when in quotation marks, writing that is being read aloud word for word. Slaves will mainly be referred to as Pets. The entire fic, or at least a good deal of it, will be told from an original character's point of view.

Disclaimer: Take a good long look at me. Do I look rich to you? If I do then maybe you need glasses. I'm a poor college student who thought up this idea many, many, many years ago and just recently was able to find the outline. The Original characters ARE mine however…….

Prologue

The airport that day was the last place I wanted to be. It was nearing the holiday season and people able to get the time off work were bustling to and fro, trying to get home for the early festivities. This amounted to a large crowd of people, even in the lower parking lots where I was awaiting the arrival of precious cargo.

Much to my relief, I didn't have to wait long. At around one twenty, twenty minutes after my arrival, the sounds of angry hissing and muttered curses could be heard coming from one of the opening elevators.

I tilted my head to watch a boy of about sixteen – he was dressed in fancy slacks and a maroon button down shirt, and was flanked by two large body guards – struggle to push a wheeled cart out of the elevator. On the wheeled cart was my prize: a large metal cage containing my new Pet.

Once the petite boy was able to wheel the cage over to my dark blue pickup, I knelt down with a hand on the top of the cage to peer inside. Wild Prussian-Blue eyes peered back at me from the darkness – which prevented me from seeing more of his body - in curiosity before realization dawned in the intelligent depths and the stare became a glare. I chuckled at his bravado and straightened.

"How much do I owe you?" I asked the heavily breathing boy. Upon my direct acknowledgment of him he straightened and pushed some of his blonde hair from his hazel eyes.

"Six 'undred." He answered with a light accent I couldn't place. The cage rattled between us and I hid a smile as the boy jumped. "It's the price m' father wanted for 'im."

"It's a little steep, but I understand. Your father is one of the best breeders." I pulled out a small purse of velvet and counted out six hundred in bills. The boy slipped the money I offered him into his own purse and handed over a rather thick file-folder containing the Pet's papers.

"Was, sir." The boy said softly before turning around to leave. I looked up. "He was one o' the best. The beast you jus' bought is from one o' his latest – and last - litters. Bred one o' our good bitches to a foreigner as an experiment an' ended up with a handful o' runts……one o' which is a killer." Then the boy took off, much to my shock, after nodding to the cage holding my new Pet.

"If I may sir, I believe you've just been ripped." I turned to glare at the burly body guard that was helping the other heft the metal cage into the back of my pickup. "Have a good day." Hands were brushed off and they went off in search of the young boy.

"You as well." I climbed into my car and, brushing aside the odd behavior of the three, opened the file folder.

On the top of the pile of papers was the Pets birth certificate.

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Zero-One

Birthdate: October 18, 1980

Birthplace: Japan, Tokyo

Litter: Second born of four

Attending Doctor: Doctor Sally Po

Coloring: Blue eyes, Brown fur

Special Features: Duo to canine and feline blood mix, Zero-One shows signs of retractable claws typical to that of a feline and has normal nails when claws are retracted.

Stud Name: Momento's Dream (C)

Owned By: Odin Lowe

Birthplace: America, Minnesota

Current Home: America, Minnesota

For Full Pedigree Contact: Odin Lowe at (231)212-3179

Dam Name: Full Time Fun (F)

Owned By: Doctor Jaymeson O'Dell

Birthplace: Japan, Tokyo

Current Home: Japan, Tokyo

For Full Pedigree Contact: Doctor Jaymeson O'Dell at (339)415-6528

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"Born October eighteenth, nineteen eighty? That makes him eleven. A little young…." I said out loud. "Father is a registered American Stud owned by an Odin Lowe, Mother is one of Doctor J's bitches. Born on J's property, Sally Po as overseer…."

I flipped through the pedigrees without really looking at them. They were of no use until the Pet was old enough to breed, should I wish to do so. I passed through the vet records, skimming through them to learn that my Pet and his three siblings were all healthy from birth until their recent examination.

I spent more time reading Doctor J's notes on his birth and the beginning of his training than anything else, if only to get a sense of how well-trained my Pet was and how much I needed to do with him. I wasn't very please with what I read.

"_Of the four born, Zero-One and shows the most revulsion for touch….does not like to be handled beyond what is needed for bathing……claws needed to be clipped not long after birth….._" I paused when the cage behind me rattled. "_Unsettled in closed spaces…..does not take well to collaring or leashing…" _On and on it went until I flipped to the most recent notes that were, to my surprise, in another's handwriting.

"_The training for Zero-One is not going well at all. I am forced to write in my father's stead as he had suffered many injuries to his hands. Injuries caused by Zero-One in his craze to get away from any contact. We have come to the conclusion that hastily breeding to a foreign stud – and a canine one at that - without proper research in lineage and behaviorisms, resulted in undesirable characteristics in the litter_." I paused to snort.

"And here I thought Doctor J was smarter than that." I flipped past the list of undesirable behaviors shown by both my Pet and his siblings, and stopped at the last full sheet in the folder. It was a report written by the boy, after J's death.

"_My father is dead. The experiment had been called off due to the unpredictability of the entire litter. According to my father's investors and partners the litter together is too dangerous to raise and attempt to train properly. We have sold the three sibling of Zero-One to different experienced households, who were informed of their questionable lineage. We are trying to establish contact with Odin Lowe for questioning of behavior in his stock, but he cannot be reached. I have ordered Zero-One to be punished, and then locked up until further notice…." _

There were more notes littered on various papers following the report, most only half sheets. Some were from other trainers and some from vets. All of them labeled Zero-One as an unstable Pet in need of an experienced owner that could beat some manners into him.

"I'm beginning to think I'm in way over my head." I muttered. I put all the papers back into the folder and set it on the seat beside me. "Oh well, it's too late now." I said, and started the car up. After a glance in the back to make sure my new Pet hadn't broken out, I left the airport.

TBC

Okay, I might as well take the time to explain a little about the Pet's and their background. Throughout the fic I will be sure to make notes on certain aspects of the Pet's and their behaviors/characteristics.

As for those who are awaiting the next book to The Perfect Soldier Arc, you'll have to wait a little while longer I'm afraid. I've hit a bit of a road block in that series but I expect it to be finished by the time I stop posting this fic. That should be in another week or two.

The History:

The first Pet was created about one hundred years prior to this fanfiction. The first occurrence was a mistake created by a scientist eager to experiment with genes and genetic makeup.

Once word got out that he made a creature that was half human, half animal, more experienced scientists began their own research into the matter. Twenty years later the first "Medic Pet" was created.

The first several hundred Pets were created artificially – through test tubes and chemicals. They were created with a keen intelligence, a strong need to care, and the ability to care for themselves and others. These Pets were called "Medic Pets" because they were trained in the medical fields to care for the elderly, the sick (in both mind and/or body), or the very young.

The general public however wanted Pets of their own, ones that they could care for. So five new scientists put their heads together and learned how to manipulate the genes once again, this time to create Pets that were more animal-like than human.

But the Pet's were expensive, and only the rich could afford one. So the scientists once again put their heads together and came up with a simple, cost-efficient way to mass produce: Breeding.


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One

The ride home was relatively uneventful. I pondered what to do with my new and troublesome Pet - who was suspiciously silent in his cage, other than the occasional growl of anger brought on by a bump in the road - and whether I was being smart to keep him, or incredibly stupid.

Once parked in the driveway beside my house – a one story ranch-type with a large porch and an even larger yard - I took some time pondering the best way to move my Pet to his new home.

"Well taking you out of there isn't an option." I said as I lowered the tailgate. "I don't want to lose my new Pet on the first day. And I can't carry your cage all by myself…" A growl answered my musings, and I shook my head. "I suppose I have no choice then…..Roland!"

"Master!" A soft voice answered my call. A slim body, finely muscled, appeared in the garage doorway. Black hair tousled into soft spikes, and bright green eyes full of love and devotion made me smile.

"Roland, I need you here." Roland's eyes lit up, his fuzzy black ears perked and his thick tail swished happily as he made his way over to me. There was silence from inside the cage and I expected my Pet to be sniffling at the air, trying to determine what the new scent was.

"How can I help you Master?"

"I need your help moving him." I said, motioning to the cage. Roland tilted his head at the metal box in curiosity. "He's going to be a bit of a handful and I don't want to risk him running away if I open that out here."

"Oh." Roland perched on the balls of his feet then gracefully leapt up to land next to the cage. He stuck his nose next to one of the air holes and began sniffling in curiosity. I heard and answering sniffle from inside before the cage rattled violently and Roland fell backwards with a yelp.

"Roland! Are you okay?" I asked, chuckling despite myself. He shot me a pouty look.

"You didn't tell me he was phobic." I blinked as Roland crouched back beside the cage. "Did you even know?" I shook my head. It was times like these I felt stupid for forgetting that Roland was a retired Medic Pet, and that the original purpose of those Pets were medical companions for those in need.

"Well that certainly explains his behavior." I said lightly. "You're sure?" I asked Roland, willing to believe my Pet over anything else. Roland nodded certainly. "Then that's certainly treatable. Now let's get him inside before it rains. Or snows."

"Master, it's sunny. And it isn't even October yet, it can't snow." I shrugged and made a show of rubbing my arms as Roland giggled and moved to grasp the back end of the cage. There was a soft growl from inside the cage, but we both ignored it. Taking my end, which just happened to be the one with the viewing square, I hefted it and slowly began to walk backwards with it. I heard Roland thump down, and the cage dipped.

"You okay there Roland?" I asked. I heard an affirmative grunt. "We'll be putting him in the room next to yours."

"I thought he was going to room with me?" I heard Roland ask hesitantly.

"He was." I answered as we moved. A peek into the rectangle confirmed to me that my new Pet was plastered to the bottom of the cage. "But now that I have him, his behavior worries me."

"I can take care of myself." I heard Roland pout. I chuckled as I bumped the door open with my hip and stepped inside the house. A quick glance confirmed the living room was spotless, as was the kitchen and dining room.

"You did a good job." I said as we made it to the empty bedroom and were finally able to put the cage down. Roland beamed. "Now be a doll and get me the catch pole and some ropes." Ears fattened but Roland rushed to do as I asked. I turned my attention to the Pet in the cage. "Before I let you out of there, we need to think of a name for you." I paced in front of the rectangular opening and caught a brief flash of blue eyes. "I can't keep calling you Pet, or Zero-One." I kept my voice soft as I spoke. "How about something foreign? After your Dad? No." I dismissed the idea. "Something Japanese then."

"May I suggest Hiiro, Master?" I glanced up at Roland, who was holding the catch pole and ropes as far away from his body as possible. "After the wild Pet found four years ago?"

"Hiiro I.E. Yui." I said to myself. I nodded and retrieved the pole and ropes from Roland. "I like it." I finally said. "You may come in or stay out Roland. Whichever, just close and lock the door."

"Yes Master." I returned to standing in front of the cage as Roland closed the door behind him. He kept close to it however, ready to bolt if need be. I returned to the front of the cage and leaned the pole against on wall, within reach. All but one coil of rope followed it, and that one coil was deftly made into a slip noose. I sincerely hoped I didn't have to use it.

"All right Hiiro. I'm going to open the door for you. Roland and I are the only ones here and we won't hurt you." With one hand I twisted the lock off the cage and let the door swing open. I stepped back immediately and waited.

A minute passed. And then another. After ten minutes of waiting for something, anything, I finally detected movement inside the cage. I smiled as a small form inched foreword. Hands appeared first. They were dark with dirt and what appeared to be dried blood. His claws were in full view, attesting to his tense fear, and I could see that they needed clipped and filed.

Slowly he inched his way out into the light and I suppressed a groan at the sight of his filthy, malnourished, and beaten body. He crouched at the mouth of the cage and stared at me. "I see that one of our first orders of business is a bath." I said lightly. What happened next was something I was not quite prepared for.

Hiiro coiled his legs under him and, with a silent snarl complete with bared fangs, launched himself straight at me. I managed to duck to the side before his jagged claws could do more than rip my shirt, and watched as he slammed into the wall behind me with a pained yelp.

"Master! Are you all right?" I motioned for Roland to be quiet as Hiiro struggled to balance on his fours. Chocolate-colored hair covered a pale face lined with smudges of dirt and dried blood. Torn cat-like ears pressed flat against the sides of his head, and a tail with bare patches swung madly behind him as he thought out his escape. It's unfortunate for him that there will be none.

"Easy now. That wasn't a nice thing to do Hiiro." I scolded gently. When he didn't move I kept talking. This time I directed my speech to Roland. "Roland, go ahead and read through his files. They're in the folder on the cage. See what you make of him." I could hear Roland moving slowly as he retrieved the folders and began to read. Remembering his earlier comment about phobias, I told him to try to pinpoint what phobias we had to work with.

Hiiro took this moment of distraction on my part to bolt around me and Roland and slam into the door. When the knob wouldn't turn for him, he growled and used his ragged claws to scratch at the hard wood. He managed to scratch deep furrows into the wood by the time Roland was finished, and by the look on his face I figured the news wouldn't be so great.

"I haven't really done this in a while, Master. So I don't know if I'm right or not….I only remember a little of my training from before I lived with you and it didn't really consist of phobias, just generalizations…." I nodded for him to continue. My poor door was now the victim of many deep furrows, but I wouldn't interfere until I had some idea of what was wrong with Hiiro.

"Go on, give me your best."

"I think he has a combination of many phobias. After reading the files I don't really think it's hereditary. I think they're all because of improper training or handling and towards the end, neglect and abuse. I read that they clipped his claws at a young age…and that they tried many ways to control him. I think that made it worse." I nodded. It made sense to me.

"So what do I have to work with?"

"He has agoraphobia for sure. Aptaphobia, or the fear of being touched, and with that probably Chirophobia. The fear of hands." I nodded. "I wouldn't be surprised if he had claustrophobia and cleisiophobia. The fear of enclosed spaces and the fear of being locked in them."

"I haven't heard of the last one." I commented as Hiiro abandoned his scratching post.

"Merinthophobia, the fear of being tied up or bound." I frowned at that. "And I would guess he'll show signs of Onomatophobia – the fear of certain words of names." Roland paused. "He might have inherited the ability to become phobic, but the real culprit is his personality and how he was handled."

"Thank you Roland." Roland nodded and retreated behind the cage as Hiiro stared at us. "Well you certainly are an enigma." I said. His tail swished. I slowly maneuvered him away from the door and back to the other side of the room. "Roland, go make us a light lunch? Then you have the afternoon off." Roland nodded and slipped out, locking the door firmly behind him.

With the ropes and pole within reach I settled myself down on the floor with a sigh. Hiiro watched me with cautious interest until I was settled, and to my surprise he settled on his own haunches. He was far from relaxed however.

"I suppose it's only fair to introduce myself." I said calmly. "My name is Alexi Yui. I was born and raised here. My parents are deceased but my siblings are alive and are scattered around Japan and America. I have no wife or lover, and no children. Let's see. I bought Roland two years ago, from his current owners children. He was a Medic Pet before this. Before that, for a short time, he was to be a Slave-Pet and was rescued. I'm sure you noticed he calls me Master?"

Roland returned with a plate of food, an empty bowl, and a water bottle long after I finished my narrative about myself. Hiiro had hunkered down even more in that time, and I caught him watching me in interest more than once. Roland stole a few bites of food before retreating, leaving me to turn my attention back to Hiiro.

Once Hiiro's attention was on me, I smiled at him and slid a crouton across the floor to bump his hand. He stared at it. "It's food." I said, picking one up and eating it myself. "For you. You must be hungry." He eyed it, but didn't touch it. I slid another one over to him and waited.

Once twenty minutes had passed, he finally lowered his head and sniffled at the square pieces of hard bread. His tongue poked out to lick on piece quickly. When I made no move to reprimand him he gently took one of the pieces between his teeth. It was gone in two bites. The other soon followed.

"Good?" I asked. "Here then, I have more." This time I didn't slide it as hard and it stopped a few inches in front of him. He stared at it, perplexed. Then he stretched his neck out and snatched it up. I fed him a few more little pieces before again, increasing the distance between him and it. His ears twitched when he realized he would have to move, and I settled in for a long wait.

To my surprise it only took ten minutes for Hiiro to make up his mind to shuffle forward and grab his prize. I slid another crouton to him and he snatched it up. His battered tail was swishing across the floor now, but not so much in panic as anxiousness. He wanted the food on my plate but hated coming close for it.

"This whole plate is for you." I said, jiggling the plate in front of me. There were more croutons on it, and some bread and cheese. Hiiro eyed it. I slid him another crouton. "We can do this all night." Twenty-five minutes and two handfuls of croutons later, Hiiro was in reaching distance. He was shaking slightly, and kept watching me, but he wasn't running or attacking.

"You did good for today Hiiro." I said softly. "I'll leave you to finish your dinner." I filled the empty bowl with water and slowly stood up. I picked up the pole and coils of rope, intending to take them with me. Hiiro fled back to the corner he was previously huddled in, but returned to the plate of food and bowl of water once I inched myself out the door.

TBC

I found the phobias on a huge list online. There are some really interesting one's out there….

And as promised, more info!

Appearance:

Both canine and feline Pets look more human than animal - With a human-like body, animal ears, a tail, and in the case of a feline retractable claws. Both species of Pets come in different "breeds" like normal cats and dogs, and as such their ears and tails are different colors, shapes, textures, etc.

Both breeds are naturally small. Newborns are the size of small human babies, at the age of five they are the size of a toddler and tend to grow the most at this age, at ten they are the size of a ten year old child. They are considered full grown at the age of twenty and are roughly the size of a young adult. They stay this size the rest of their life.

Behavior:

Both species have the ability to walk and talk like humans, but they have to be trained to do so. Most prefer to walk in a crouched position on all fours than upright. If they aren't trained, instead of talking like humans they speak like animals – with chirps, barks, yips, meows, growls, etc.


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

I left Hiiro alone for the rest of the night, only poking my head in once before I retreated to my own bed. A glance confirmed that he had finished the food and had licked both the plate and bowl of water clean. Another glance showed that he had somehow managed to wedge himself under the low hanging bed, and was watching me with intense eyes. I shook my head but did not enter the room.

Roland was sound asleep next door, on the bed though instead of under it. I scratched him once behind the ears before retreating to my bedroom where I proceeded to forego the shower and just dropped right into bed for what I hoped to be a peaceful night's sleep.

But that peaceful night's sleep was not to be. At around four in the morning I was woken by a piercing shriek that sent me flying out of my bed, tripping over my shoes, and nearly running into the wall outside my bedroom.

The first thing I noticed was the door to Roland's room. It was open. As was the door to Hiiro's. I groaned as I pushed my way inside to find Roland cornered by a pissed off Hiiro. The bowl that held water before was once again half full, and a half-empty water bottle lay beside it.

"Master!" Hiiro hissed and swatted at the cowering Roland, missing him by inches.

"Hiiro!" I barked. Hiiro paused mid-swipe and turned to look at me. "Back off." To my surprise, and Roland's relief, Hiiro lowered his claws and took a few steps back. "Good boy. You're not in trouble." I gave Roland a glance to let him know he wasn't in any trouble either. "Since we're all awake Roland, go ahead and make us some breakfast."

"Y-yes master." Roland scurried out of the room before I could blink, and slammed the door hard enough to make Hiiro jump.

"Care to tell me what's got you so riled up this morning?" I asked, crossing to the bowl and water bottle. I finished filling the bowl and left the empty bottle beside it. "Roland was just bringing you some water." I backed away from the bowl and Hiiro slouched over to lap at the water.

"Master." Hiiro paused in his drinking to stare at Roland. "I brought breakfast." He held up a large plate heaping with pancakes and some sausage.

"Thank you. You can bring it in." Roland glanced at Hiiro and quickly brought me the plate. "Thank you. You eat something yourself now." He nodded and hurried out of the room. Hiiro went back to lapping at the water for a second before glancing up at me and the plate in my hand.

I settled myself down in front of him again, pleased when he only backed up a foot. I tore one of the pancakes into four bite-sized pieces and tossed him one. I blinked when he snapped it out of the air and swallowed it practically whole. He glanced at the full plate, then at me. I threw him another piece, which he caught in the same manner.

"I had plans for today." I spoke as I fed him. "I was going to take you to get registered." He paused mid-chew. "But I see that isn't a very good idea." He swallowed and inched forward. I gave him a chuck of sausage that took him a few minutes to tear apart and swallow. "I do however need to get you cleaned up." I fed him another piece of pancake and smiled as he sidled up beside me. The next piece of pancake was taken right from my hand. "Good boy."

The next few minutes were spent in silence as he finished up his breakfast and took a few sips of water. "Are you okay with me touching you?" I asked once he was finished. He tilted his head up at me but didn't move away. "I want to get you cleaned up. I need to touch you to do that." I set my open hand on my knee. His face was inches away.

Seconds passed. I inched my hand towards him, stopping when he moved his head away. Minutes passed before his head came foreword. He sniffled my hand thoroughly before I was able to gently touch his cheek, then his hair. He was stiff as I gently caressed his matted hair.

"See, touch isn't so bad." I whispered. He jumped, my hand stilled. But he didn't move away. "Good boy." I praised, stroking my hand along his spine. He instinctively arched a little into my touch. My hand came away dirty. "How about we clean you up huh?" I scratched his ears one last time before standing up. "Just follow me, okay?"

Foregoing the use of a rope or any type of leash, knowing that at this point Hiiro would most likely panic, I led the Pet to the large room down the hall. I kept an eye on him as he limped along on all fours behind me, hugging the wall. "Maybe I should have Noin come take a look at you as well." I muttered. He rushed passed me when I opened the door and crowded himself into a corner.

I closed the door and locked it before going over to the bath. "The green button starts the water." I said out loud, pushing the green button. "Blue is for cold and red is for hot." I pushed both buttons so that the water streaming out was warm, but not hot. "I don't know how warm you like it, so you'll have to tell me once you've gotten in." I turned around and, leaning on the edge of the wide tub, smiled at Hiiro.

The Pet was watching me with interest. He still wasn't quite trusting of me, he was stiff and his tail was swishing frantically, but he showed more signs of curiosity than hostility. Good. Once the tub was half full I stopped the flow of water and motioned Hiiro over to me. He came, slowly, and stopped at my feet.

"Can you remove your clothes or do you want me to?" I asked gently, making no move to touch him. He stiffened, but managed to shrug. I gently picked up the edge of his tattered shirt and pulled it over his head. I let it fall to the floor as he plucked the ties to his pants. Those too fell and I almost growled when I saw how dirty he was under the clothing.

Without giving him time to protest or panic I plucked him up – not a difficult feat as he was grossly underweight and naturally small in size – and set him down gently in the warm water. He froze before looking around him at the quickly dirtying water. After a few minutes I pushed the button that would drain the water, and then pushed the one that started the flow up again.

I let Hiiro sit in the water for a minute while I grabbed some mild soap, shampoo, a wash rag, a small cup, and a few large towels from the hall closet. When I got back I found Hiiro crouched in the warm water up to his shoulders. "So you like the water?" Hiiro looked up and I could see that some of the unease had melted away. "Well then you'll be pleased to know that I have an indoor heated pool you may use any time you wish." His ears perked.

I chuckled at him and lathered the wash rag with soap. When he made no move to take it from me I set about gently washing him. First his face, which I found was bruised as well as dirty. Then his neck, his shoulders – one of which was swollen – his arms and hands – again, more bruising – his back, his chest, his torso – more bruising and swelling. When I reached his hindquarters he froze and his ears flattened.

"It's okay." I soothed. I ran the cloth gently over his hips and down his backside. The cloth came away dirty with dirt and blood. I frowned. But I let it go until Hiiro was more comfortable with me. I cleaned that area as best I could without hurting him, cleaned his filthy groin, and moved on to clean his legs. Again I found bruises and cuts. And his left knee was swollen and stiff.

I let the tub drain after I was finished, then filled it with clean water. Hiiro was once again more relaxed. I ran my finger through his hair before filling the small cup with water and upending it over his head. He let out a soft yelp as the water trickled in his face. "It's okay. I'm just washing your hair." I told him. Making sure his ears didn't get too wet, I thoroughly soaked his hair before lathering it with shampoo.

It took three times of shampooing and rinsing before his hair was clean. It took two for his ears and tail to come clean. It was then that I realized that the dirt in his ears wasn't dirt, but crust. He had an ear infection. I sighed. "All right. All done here." I said, draining the water. I let some clean water run and rinsed him one last time.

I spread one towel on the floor and draped another over him. I lifted him out of the tub and set him down of the towel. I scrubbed at his head, trying to dry his hair as much as possible, before patting the rest of him dry. Once I had finished and stepped back, he shook and managed to spray some of the water from his hair onto my legs. I chuckled.

"Now that you're all clean we need to find you some clothes." Hiiro looked up at me as he folded his legs under him. His tail curled around his knees and hands. "Something of Roland's should fit." I mused. I motioned for Hiiro to follow me – which he surprisingly did – into Roland's room where I burrowed in his dresser until I found a pair of loose-fitting sweat pants and a t-shirt.

Once they were on him and he was slightly more comfortable, I chuckled. The pants had to be tied tight and were too long for him, and the shirt hung almost to his knees. He looked rather cute. "We'll have to put shopping on our to-do list." I said. "But first things first. I need to call Noin and have her come over."

I led Hiiro back to his room, where he curled up in a nest of blankets under his bed. I closed the door but left it unlocked. Roland was watching TV when I entered the living room, and practically ignored me in favor of his favorite TV program.

I slipped into the kitchen and dialed Noin's number on the vid-phone. She answered it after four rings with a sour face. I glanced at the clock to find it only eight. "You better have a good excuse for calling me this early."

"Does an injured Pet count as a good excuse?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. She blinked. "The Pet I bought arrived last night. He's one of J's."

"From the last litter?" Noin asked in concern. I nodded. "Oh dear. I see what you mean. I had to tend one of his siblings the other day. It was not pretty." I frowned.

"You mean the rest of his litter was punished as well? I was only aware that he was." This time it was Noin's turn to raise an eyebrow.

"You bought Zero-One?" She asked. "You must be very brave or very stupid."

"I'm still deciding." She laughed. "But yes, I bought him. Roland took a look at his records and came up with the conclusion that his personality combined with the way he was handled at birth caused him to become phobic."

"Did he now? All right. I assume you want me to come take a look at him?" I nodded. "Give me one hour. How has Roland been?"

"He's been well. He might need his claws clipped." Noin nodded.

"I'll se you in an hour." I nodded and she hung up. I did as well.

"I don't need my claws clipped." I looked up to see Roland in the doorway, ears pinned.

"We'll let Noin decide that." I said firmly. Roland pouted. "Go back to your TV. Hiiro's first in line for Noin anyway." I shooed him away, not that he protested too much, with orders to let Noin in when she showed up. I retreated to my room to change my clothes and clean myself up.

At nine o'clock exactly I heard the front door open, accompanied by soft voices. I headed out to meet Noin, and briefed her on Hiiro's condition. She read through his papers quicker than I had and from that was able to confirm Roland's diagnosis of Hiiro being phobic. To say she was appalled when she finished, would have been an understatement. "Where is he?"

"In his room. Come in behind me." I said as I led her to Hiiro's room. I entered first. "Hiiro. I brought Doctor Noin by to see you." There was a rustling of cloth and blue eyes peeked out from under the bed. "She wants to take a look at you and make sure you're healthy." Hiiro's eyes shifted to stare at Noin.

"Hello there." Hiiro inched out of the shadows. "I hear you're hurt. Why don't you come on out and let me have a look at you?" Hiiro inched out quicker than I thought he would, but didn't come any closer to us. "You certainly are bruised up."

I distanced myself from Noin and sat on the floor, holding my hand out to Hiiro. He eyed me warily, but inched over to me until he was pressed against me. I smiled at Noin's startled expression. "Hiiro, you have to let her look you over. Just to make sure you aren't hurt bad inside."

"I wont hurt you." Hiiro huffed but didn't move when Noin made her way over to us. Noin moved slowly as he checked his face over. He did have an ear infection that needed immediate medical attention. I.E. eardrops. And there were several raw spots in his mouth.

She skimmed over the rest of him, gently poking and pinching. She diagnosed his shoulder as sprained. His left knee had a snapped tendon. His ribs were bruised. He was bruised all over. His anus was also torn, but not badly enough to warrant stitches or even antibiotic creams. His patched tail and ears were due to stress and slight mange which a medicated shampoo would take care of. And finally she proclaimed him malnourished.

"All of this is easily fixable." She assured us. "Just try to rest your shoulder. I'll wrap up your knee until you can get a brace for it. No heavy lifting or strenuous activities until those ribs heal." She said sternly while she wrapped Hiiro's knee in an elastic bandage. "I want you to go and get the antibiotics I prescribe today. And take him in to get registered. Im afraid I can't do blood tests or give him his shots the first time…."

"I know Noin." She sat back.

"Well, you need to take him in today. Tomorrow morning at the latest I suppose." I nodded. "Are you going to train him?" Hiiro stiffened.

"Yes." She nodded. I scratched his ears to relax him.

"Well the only thing I have left to do is take care of those claws." She said. "They look painful."

"I don't know if they are. He used them to dig into my door." I said with a smile. She clucked her tongue and gently pulled one of Hiiro's hands from under him. She clipped and filed the softer human nails before coaxing him to show his sharp feline claws. She whistled.

"Poor boy. These are ragged!" She set her clippers aside and took the file to the claws, smoothing them over until they shone. Some were longer than the others, and one was so short it looked painful. "They'll grow back quickly." She said as she filed and clipped the rest of his claws. When she was done, Hiiro sat beside me staring at the smooth nails that I guess gave no pain when he retracted them. "I'll send a report ahead to the clinic downtown so they know what to expect. I also checked Roland's claws. They're fine." I nodded. "Take care, I'll show myself out."

"All right, you take care as well." Noin retreated and left me to watch Hiiro, who had turned his attention to me. "Well you heard the good doctor. Looks like we'll be getting you registered sooner than I hoped." Hiiro's ears flattened and I chuckled. "Come on, let's go see if I have a spare collar for you until we can get you a new one."

TBC

Note: One of my reviewers (Moi-inconnue) made a good point about the previous chapter. How would Roland be able to identify the phobias even though he JUST met Hiiro? Easy, he read the files! All of Hiiro's behavior records are in there and Roland was able to surmise hat phobias Hiiro has by reading the reports. Make sense?

Care:

Medic and Slave Pets can take care of themselves once they reach the right age. Common Pets have to be fed (they can eat human foods as well as specially made Pet foods) and watered daily however, and need to be cleaned and taken care of like any normal dog or cat.

All Pets need to have their shots depending on breed (canine or feline) within a week of coming into a household, and all Pets need to have regular medical appointments. Usually twice a year.

All Common Pets are usually sold already trained in basic things: bathroom use, sit, stay, no, etc. But need to be trained to walk up right, talk human, and do more human-like things like eating with silver ware.


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Hiiro sat beside me in the pickup, scratching at his neck beneath the collar. I felt bad for making him wear it – it was way too thick for him – but I didn't want him to be seen as a stray.

I pulled into the lot behind the large building that served as a shelter/vet clinic/store/registration office for Pets. There weren't many cars in the lot, probably due to the early hour, so I had little trouble getting Hiiro from car to lobby. The woman at the reception desk looked up as we entered.

"Hello Alexi." She greeted me with a smile. Then she turned to Hiiro, who flattened his ears. "And who might this be?"

"His name is Hiiro. I bought him yesterday afternoon." I said as Hiiro inched behind me. "He needs a blood test, whatever shots he hasn't had yet, and to be registered. I'll also need to pick up a few things for him and have prescriptions filled."

"He's been seen by a doctor?"

"Yes. Lucrezia Noin. She was sending the report over…" The woman began clacking on her computer.

"Ah yes. Complete physical minus weight and height check, bloodwork, and shots." I nodded. Hiiro wandered over to a display of treats, and I let him be. "I've informed Treize of your arrival. He's looking over a new arrival so he'll be a few minutes." I nodded. "You can go ahead and browse through the shop if you'd like."

"I think I might do that. Hiiro." Hiiro looked up at me. "Come, we're going to look around." He slowly crossed over to me and followed me through the door labeled 'Shoppe'. I grabbed myself a basket as we entered and Hiiro froze to look around at the aisles of stuff.

"Alexi!" Hiiro jumped. I turned my head to see my half-sister, Catherine, and younger brother Trowa heading towards us.

"Hello Catherine." I greeted once she was within talking range. "Trowa." Trowa nodded while Catherine wrapped me in a hug. "I was unaware you had Pet."

"We don't…."Trowa said quietly, studying Hiiro. "Yet." Hiiro flattened his ears.

"Yet?" Catherine pulled away to show a bright smile on her face.

"We're here to adopt one." She admitted. "But we were a little too excited," I took that to mean that she was excited, Trowa was probably just along for the ride. "We got here too early. The shelter isn't open yet so we decided to browse." Her attention turned to Hiiro, whose tail was now swishing nervously under all the attention he was receiving. I was quite surprised that he hadn't taken off yet.

"Ah, yes. Catherine and Trowa this is my new Pet Hiiro. Hiiro, these are my siblings." Catherine tilted her head, but before she could glomp him I intervened. "Catherine, Hiiro's been through some rough times. He doesn't like to be touched by strangers."

"Oh. Poor dear." Hiiro's ears twitched. "Well would you like to accompany us while we browse? We could probably use your input." I nodded once after making sure that Hiiro wasn't too stressed by the situation, and followed Catherine and Trowa to aisle number one: Specially made Food and Treats.

"You guys probably shouldn't get anything from this aisle just yet." I said as we made our way down it. I picked up a few different packs of treats for Roland, and picked up a few that Hiiro showed interest in. "You should see what your new Pet prefers for treats and you wont need the food unless a vet says so or your Pet wants it."

I bypassed the bags and cans of food but picked up a new set of food and water dishes for Hiiro – dark blue with silver paw prints – and a matching mat. They looked like bowls humans use, but the lips were curved more and they sat deeper. This was because most of the Common Pets, unlike the Medic Pets, were never taught how to use their hands to eat unless their owner wanted to.

Catherine picked up a pair of bowls as well. They were a lighter pastel colored blue, but otherwise plain. The mat they chose was an even lighter blue with white swirls splattered over it.

Aisle number two was bypassed entirely. It held racks of clothing tailored for Pets, but they needed to know their Pet's size before buying anything. I was content to get Hiiro's clothes after his exam.

Aisle Three was dedicated to collars, leashes, harnesses, and other training tools. My siblings browsed without choosing anything, while I led Hiiro over to the racks of collars for male Pets. "You can choose one." I said. He shot me a surprised look. "It's all right. I won't have you wearing something that will make you uncomfortable."

I watched him bypass the harnesses and choke chain collars. He paused by the nylon and silky collars before moving on to the leather. He made a face at the thick spiked ones, but tilted his head at the thinner ones. A dark blue one in particular seemed to catch his eye.

"Do you like it?" He nodded his head. "It looks lovely." I unbuckled the one I had on him now, and tore the price tag off the new one. I let him put it on himself while I stuffed the old one in my pocket and put the tag in one of the bowls.

"Yui, Hiiro I.E…" Rang over the speakers just as I turned to Catherine.

"That's us." I said. "We can meet up after if you'd like?"

"I think that would be great. Would you stay to look through the shelter with us too?" I nodded and led Hiiro off to a set of double doors off to the side. Hiiro's tail swished nervously as he followed me into a small waiting area. We were immediately whisked away by a nurse, who led us to a small examination room.

"It's good to see you again Alexi." She said while I convinced Hiiro to hop up on the metal table that also posed as a scale.

"You as well Une."

"Treize is just finishing up, so he'll be a few moments. I'll take weight and height measurements while we wait for him." I nodded. Hiiro flinched and his ears flattened when she moved over to turn the table on. "How old is he?" She asked as the table came to life.

"According to records, he's eleven." She nodded and the numbers on the screen flashed until they stopped on a number I couldn't see clearly. She frowned.

"Hmmm….He's about twenty pounds underweight. He needs to gain that back." She said, noting it on a piece of paper in a brand new file folder. Then she pulled out a measuring tape and briskly walked over to Hiiro before I could stop her.

Hiiro hissed at her threateningly and leapt up so he was on all fours on the metal table. His newly filed claws left small scratches in the surface as he scrambled to stay balanced on the slippery surface. Une jumped back as a hand came up to swat at her.

"Hiiro, it's okay!" I called. Une was wide-eyed. "She wasn't going to hurt you. It's okay." Hiiro stopped hissing but stayed stiff. "I'm sorry, I tried to warn you. He's been through a lot and doesn't like strangers." I said to Une.

"It's all right. I shouldn't have moved so fast. We'll leave the measuring to Treize. And the blood work." I nodded and managed to get close enough to Hiiro to scratch gently at his ears. Une left with an apologetic smile.

Hiiro settled on the table, still curled with his legs under him, as I continued to gently pet his hair and scratch his ears. It wasn't long before Treize entered the room. "Lady Une warned me to be careful." The tall man said with a grin. "Said something about a demon residing in here?"

"Hello Treize." I chuckled. "There's no demon. Lady Une just startled my new Pet is all." Treize tilted his head at Hiiro and let out a soft chirp. Hiiro's ears perked. Treize chuckled.

Treize hummed as he read through the files transferred from J's breeding facility and the notes Noin had made. "You have one smart Pet at home. That Roland sure knows what he's doing. He's diagnosed Hiiro perfectly." He said with a mutter. "There's nothing I can do for the phobias except prescribe tranquilizers to calm him, if you want them."

"I have some at home, should we ever need them. But I think we can do without." Treize nodded and closed the file.

"I would say. His behavior now and before as told by Une tells me that he's started to bond with you. I don't think you will have many problems with him."

"He's started bonding with me?" I looked down at Hiiro, who was watching Treize.

"Ah yes. You've shown him kindness and compassion. That's all a young one with such a past needs to form a bond." He moved foreword slowly, keeping his hands in sight. "Now let's see. He's had a complete physical by Noin, and she's already prescribed some medication for his ear infection." Hiiro stiffened when Treize set his hand beside mine on his head.

"Yes." Treize nodded and scratched Hiiro's ears until he relaxed some.

"So I just need to do a blood sample and give him his shots." I nodded. "How is he with needles, or do you not know?"

"We'll find out." I answered, causing Treize to chuckle. He pulled out a small syringe and needle, causing Hiiro to jump. Treize uncapped the needle and held it in front of Hiiro to see.

"I'm going to draw some blood for testing. It won't hurt but a minute." Hiiro's tail lashed. But he held still as Treize drew some blood from a vein in his arm. I stroked his hair until Treize was done, and praised him when he all he did was growl in retaliation. Treize retreated to the counter and pulled out several little tubes which he divided the blood into.

"He needs his rabies and booster shots." Treize said after several minutes. "But he's otherwise up to date and free of disease." He said as he scribbled in the folder. "Start his medications, get his weight back up, and he'll be fine." I nodded as Treize prepared the two shots. Hiiro watched him, flinching when he came back over to us, but held still long enough for Treize to lower the waistband of his pants and give him the shots. The used needles and syringes were discarded in the bin and Treize removed his gloves.

"Thank you." Treize and I shook hands and he handed me a slip of paper before he left the exam room. I glanced at the relatively low bill before plucking Hiiro off the table and setting him on his feet. "We're all done now Hiiro. We just have to get your medicine, get you some clothes, then accompany Catherine and Trowa while they look for a Pet of their own."

Hiiro nodded and followed me out of the room. I dropped the prescriptions at the desk to be filled before returning to the store to pick up a matching leash to go with Heero's collar and a bottle of medicated shampoo. Hiiro eyed the leash but did nothing.

We met up with Catherine in the toy aisle. Trowa was browsing through the rubber balls towards one end while she was looking at the laser pointers in the center. When she noticed me standing by her she smiled. "The shelter opened a few minutes ago but we waited for you. How did it go?"

"Other than scaring Lady Une, Hiiro did real well." I said. "Are you ready to go find your new Pet?"

"Yes!" Catherine called Trowa over and I picked up a few balls and toys that seemed to interest Hiiro, even though he tried not to show it. I also picked up a few bones for both Roland and Hiiro on the way out.

Our purchases were held at the checkout booth while a shelter worker led us to the rows of cages the lined the back of the building. "Since you don't seem too sure on what you want in a Pet, I'll leave you to browse. All of the feline Pets are to the left, the canine Pets to the right. The ones towards the middle are the cross breeds." He told us. "All of the cages are numbered, so if you see one you like let me know which number and I'll bring him or her out for you. There are also sheets with general overviews of the Pet's behavior clipped to the cages. If you want more information, once again just let me know what number and I'll get it for you."

"Thank you." Catherine dragged Trowa over to the Feline side of the room, while Hiiro and I followed at a slower pace. We caught up to them at cage number four, apparently they had dismissed the first three off the bat.

Hiiro wandered down the cages while I stuck with Catherine and Trowa, helping them decipher the notes written about each Pet as we went from cage to cage. We ran into Hiiro, who was crouched down in front of cage number fifteen. The Pet inside was curled up on a pillow in the back corner, wide aquamarine eyes watching us with curiosity.

"The notes on him are short." Catherine commented as she flipped through the noticeably shorter papers. "And all are good."

"That's good." I commented as the feline Pet stretched and made his way to the front. Golden blonde hair flopped around his face, and a thick tail of the same color swished behind him. His ears were small and pert, and perked up at us.

The little blond touched noses with Hiiro, who swished his tail nervously. They exchanged little chirps as we watched. "He's very pretty." Catherine said. Trowa, who had gone to scan the other cages, nodded.

"He looks the friendliest and cleanest of them all." Trowa commented. "I like him." I stepped back as Catherine took charge and began to grill the hailed worker about the little blonde that got along so well with Hiiro. As it was, he turned out to be from the Winner stock and would cost them a hefty price.

Hiiro seemed in higher spirits once little Quatre was let out of the cage. It seemed his fear did not extend to other Pets and his fight with Roland was probably no more than an attempt to get the frightening older Pet away. We watched as Hiiro and Quatre acquainted themselves and Catherine signed the paperwork. The provided information, much like my own, would be imprinted on the new tags that would be held with our purchases and medicine at the checkout booth in the front.

"Good luck." The man said, disappearing with the papers. We stood around and watched our Pets play for a while before my watch beeped signaling it was almost time for lunch.

"We should finish our shopping." I said, reluctantly parting Hiiro from Quatre. "We need to pick out a few outfits for Hiiro to wear. Are you going to join us?"

"Why not. Quatre will need some new clothes as well." Catherine said as Quatre nimbly crawled over to her. She plucked him up easily – he had to be as small as Hiiro, although his reason was due to genetics and not malnutrition.

The next hour was spent finding clothes for the Pets. I allowed Hiiro to pick his own clothing and ended up with sneakers, a pair of tall lace up boots, jeans, comfortable sweat pants, some spandex biker shorts, and some shirts. I forced myself to step in only when he began to pass by the sweaters and long-sleeve shirts. It seemed my Pet had a liking for t-shirts and tank tops…

"Trowa and I are going to look in the furniture aisle." Catherine said once we finished. "Will you join us?"

"I better get home actually. I need to give Hiiro his medicine and feed him and Roland." I said by means of apology. "Plus it looks like Hiiro needs a nap." I said, smiling when Hiiro glared at me. The effect was lost when he rubbed his eyes with a fist.

"I understand. We'll call sometime this week, maybe to set up a play date?" I nodded my consent and Catherine whirled around to drag Trowa (she was still carrying Quatre) to the furniture aisle. I chuckled as Quatre waved a hand and Hiiro waved tentatively back.

"I'm glad you like Quatre." I said as we turned to leave. "Would you like to have him over sometime?" Hiiro looked up at me as if to make sure I wasn't fooling. Once he was sure I wasn't, he nodded. "Then we'll have to set up a date."

I piled the clothes on the counter, along with the tags for the leash and collar. I was handed a set of shiny tags, which I affixed to Hiiro's collar. The medicines were put in my pocket. The rest of the purchases were put in bags. I paid with my credit card and divided the bags so Hiiro could carry some. I bade goodbye to the woman at the counter and left the building.

Hiiro lagged as we walked the short distance to the car. Partially because he was tired and the bags were a little heavy for him, and partially because he was looking around curiously. There were more people walking by than before, but he didn't seem fazed by them.

The bags were packed in the trunk and Hiiro climbed into the passenger side while I slid into the drivers. Seat belts were buckled and once Hiiro was comfortable I began the short drive home.

TBC

Legality:

In order for someone to own a Pet they must go through a small questionnaire about their home, schedules, etc. to assure the seller that they can financially and emotionally care for a Pet. Once a Pet is bought they must be registered.

Registration is simple. The Pet is taken to a clinic for a medical checkup and to get his or her shots. Once that is done a sheet with the Pet's name, address, phone number, and ID number is filled out. Tags are made: One with the home information, one with the rabies certificate, and one with the registration number.

Once they have their tags, the Pet must wear his or her collar so he or she is not picked up on the streets and processed as a Stray.


	5. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

The next week passed by quickly. Hiiro's ear infection cleared up about mid-week, and the fur began to grow back on his ears and tail. The cuts and bruises healed until they were barely noticeable and he gained three pounds. His attitude improved as well.

He no longer hissed or growled unless he was provoked or startled. He began to get along with Roland, much to my delight, and even joined the other Pet every morning for brief, simple exercising.

His cage was cleaned out, lined with cushions and blankets, and it became a sort of safe haven for Hiiro instead of under the bed. He retreated into it when he felt uncomfortable or scared, and even began sleeping in it some nights.

The biggest change for him was that he began to seek me out for contact. Usually after meals when we would relax on the couch to watch some TV, or when he felt unsure about something. He no longer flinched at contact unless it was a harsh bump or jerk, and began to make more noises. Soft chirps and purrs.

But then Sunday came and my little vacation came to an end. So I gathered Hiiro onto my lap for a long discussion. "Tomorrow is Monday." I started. "And I have to return to work." He let out a soft rumble. "I work at the Preventers. It's a stop-crime organization." He tilted his head. "I'm a computer agent. I help with the computers. File information, research, work communications…"

Hiiro nodded his head to let me know he understood. Then he let out a series of chirps and mimed typing on a keyboard. I tilted my head at him until Roland, who was settled in the chair closest to the TV, piped up.

"He says he knows about computers."

"Really?" I asked, intrigued. Hiiro nodded. "Interesting." He tilted his head, then chirped in a questioning manner.

"I think he wants to go with you." Roland continued with a grin. Hiiro nodded. I raised an eyebrow.

"There would be a lot of people." I warned. Roland had been to work with me on a few occasions when I first got him, so if Hiiro wanted to go I didn't see a problem. "And you'd have to occupy yourself." Hiiro nodded, a little less sure though still determined. "Then I suppose you could come." Hiiro grinned and nuzzled my chest happily. "Would you like to as well Roland?"

"Could I?"

"Of course. You can show Hiiro around." Roland gave me a grin and nodded. We sat up for some time after, before I put both Pets to bed.

The next morning I woke at six, took my shower, changed into my work uniform, and then went out to the kitchen to find Roland and Hiiro already awake. Both were dressed in slacks (Roland wore tan while Hiiro wore black). Roland was wearing a blue button down shirt while Hiiro had on a black long sleeve shirt.

"You both look nice." I seated myself at the table beside Hiiro, who beamed. "Much nicer than these uniforms they make us wear." I said, nodding to the dark blue slacks and the dark tan t-shirt. The matching jacket – blue and tan – was hanging in the closet.

"The uniforms don't look bad Master." Roland said, dishing out plates with waffles. "They look better than the ones worn by that army years back." I blinked, and then shuddered. The army had worn green shorts, tan button down t-shirts, green ties, and high socks with loafer-type shoes. There were other adornments on the shirts but i couldn't remember what they were for the life of me.

"I'll have to agree on that one. Shorts…." I muttered, buttering a waffle. I could hear Roland snicker while Hiiro chirped in confusion. It was quickly forgotten when Roland piled some syrup on the small stack of waffles.

Breakfast was finished in record time. Roland took to cleaning Hiiro of the syrup on his hands and face while I brushed my teeth and retrieved my coat from the closet. I checked to make sure I had my ID and my keys, then clipped both Roland's and Hiiro's leashes to a special hook on my belt.

Once I was set and in my black loafers, Roland and Hiiro emerged from the kitchen with three brown paper bags. Our lunches, should the cafeteria not have anything worth eating. Which it usually didn't. They slid into their own shoes and jackets.

They both followed me out to my car, a black Ford Fusion. It was a company car I used only to go to work or go on errands. The pickup was used for everything else. Hiiro was cautious of tearing the seat with his claws, which he flexed unconsciously when nervous.

"The first thing to do when we get there is introduce you to my boss and get you both passes." I said as we began the one hour drive to my office building. "The Roland can take you for a tour." I looked in the mirror to find Hiiro staring out the window, watching as people and other Pets passed by.

I parked the car in my reserved spot and got out. Roland helped Hiiro out and kept a hand on his shoulder to keep him on his feet. The Pet still tended to move around on all fours when allowed. I suppose it made him feel more balanced.

They followed me quietly up to the side entrance and into the building. Hiiro seemed nervous once inside, and I suppose it's because this particular hall was narrow and dimly lit. I led them quickly through to the main lobby, where I had to swipe my ID card again to enter.

I bypassed the secretary and headed up the nearest staircase to the second floor. We passed by empty offices and the empty second floor lounge room before hitting the office labeled "Colonel". I knocked.

"Come in." Hiiro's ears perked and I smiled. I led my two Pets inside and almost laughed when Hiiro's jaw dropped and he began furiously sniffing the air. The woman sitting at the large desk had dark brown hair pulled up into two buns, and a very stern expression.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" She asked, eyes on Hiiro. "I wasn't aware it was Pet day."

"Oh it isn't Colonel. But my new Pet wanted to come with me today and I invited Roland along. You don't mind, do you?" She sighed and shook her head, gaze softening.

"Of course not. But what's the matter with him?" She asked. Hiiro was still staring at her in confusion.

"He met your sister barely a week ago. She gave him a bit of a fright." I explained as Roland began talking softly to Hiiro. I could hear him use the words litter and twin, and Hiiro nodded.

"Yes, that would explain it." Colonel Une said. She opened a drawer and pulled out two cards. "Here are their guest passes. Turn them in to me at the end of the day." I accepted the cards and pinned them to Hiiro's and Roland's shirts. "Try not to become distracted by them?"

"I would never!" She laughed at my mock outrage as we retreated and I led Hiiro and Roland up two floors to my office. My trainee, a short Chinese boy with black hair and eyes, was already there and seated at the desk across from mine. By the looks of things he had just arrived not too long ago.

"Hello Alexi."

"Wu Fei." I hung my coat on the provided coat rack. "I brought Roland and my new Pet Hiiro in. Do you mind?" Wu Fei looked up, studied Hiiro for a moment (he had already met Roland), then shook his head. "Okay then." I turned to Roland and handed him a few one dollar bills. "You go show Hiiro around. Buy some snacks. If you ever feel uncomfortable then you come right back here."

"Yes Master." I nodded and watched Roland drag Hiiro out the door. I turned back to my desk and took a seat. I booted up the computer.

"Anything come in for us to do?" I asked Wu Fei.

"Not yet." He had his History book out now, and was reading through it. Wu Fei was still in school even though he worked and received training here. That meant he had a double work load. He was very intelligent though and seemed to do okay.

"It is still early." I said to myself. The rest of the department wouldn't get in for another twenty to thirty minutes. Field agents only came in when they needed information, to write up reports, or receive assignments. And the rest of the workers would be here in another hour.

I sat back as my computer took it's merry time booting up. I swiped my finger over the print reader once the login screen surfaced, then sighed. "Would you be interested in a game of chess to pass the time?" Wu Fei asked once my computer was ready.

"Well sure, why not." We logged in to our respective gaming systems and pulled up the chess program. Wu Fei chose white, as per usual, and set the timer. He moved a rook and the game started.

Four games, two losses, and nearly two hours of talking later….

I cursed as Wu Fei moved his queen to checkmate my king, winning the third game out of five. "You've improved." He said with a victorious grin. "Last time we played you struggled to win one game."

"Laugh it up." I muttered as the board was wiped clear automatically. A glance at my mail box showed no incoming messages or missions, so I clicked on 'new game'. Wu Fei smirked. But before we could play there was a frantic pounding of feet in the hallway. Roland appeared in the doorway out of breath, rumpled, and missing one very important thing.

"Where's Hiiro?" I asked, rising to my feet. Roland coughed.

"He's got himself….into a spot of trouble…" he wheezed. Then I noticed the dark bruising under his left eye, and the frantic swishing of his tail. I cursed.

"Where is he and what happened?" I could hear Wu Fei scramble to follow me as I high tailed it out of the office after Roland.

"He's trapped in the lounge on the sixth floor." Roland said as we hurried up the stairs. "He was investigating the machines in there when that scumbag came out of no where." I blinked. Scumbag….? A light clicked.

"You mean Davies?" Roland nodded and my frown deepened. The newbie Preventer hated Pets with a passion. No one knew why, but it was by now a non-written rule to keep all Pets away from him. "What's he doing on the sixth floor? His office is all the way at the top!"

Roland shrugged and we pushed our way through the small crowd of horrified onlookers gathered around the lounge. I could hear Hiiro spitting and hissing all the way out here. "Let me through!" I yelled. Several people moved aside and I managed to get into the lounge.

Hiiro was cornered by a severely pissed off Harland Davies. The man was wielding a long metal pole like a pro, and was swinging it as hard as he could at my poor Pet. And he wasn't missing: There was a gash over Hiiro's left eye that was bleeding like a waterfall, and several bruises on his face and no doubt his shoulders. The visitors pass Une gave him had been torn off and thrown to one side, leaving a gaping hole in Hiiro's shirt that revealed more bruises.

"DAVIES!" I roared. The pole swinging stopped. "If I were you I would step away very carefully and drop the pole." Hiiro hissed.

"Or what's going to happen?" Davies turned to face me with a sneer.

"Just drop the weapon." I repeated. "Hiiro, it's all right now. Come on over here to me." Hiiro darted around Davies, pausing only to swipe at his leg hard enough to leave furrows in the pant leg and draw blood. Davies cursed, but Hiiro was already safely in my arms. "Someone apprehend this man and bring him to Une's office." I snapped.

"Sir!" Davies was wrestled into cuffs.

"We'll see what the Colonel wants to do with you Davies. It's illegal after all to harm a Pet." His face paled. "Wu Fei, go with them to inform Colonel Une of the situation. I'm bringing Hiiro to the infirmary."

"Sure."

The gash over Hiiro's eye warranted a trip to the vet and nearly twenty stitches. Davies was sacked, and I agreed to not press charges. I did however get a restraining order against Davies, keeping him away from me and my Pets.

TBC

More Legalities:

It is considered illegal to intentionally harm a Pet, especially an owned Pet. If someone is seen or caught harming a Pet then they immediately are apprehended. If the offence happened in the workplace, that person is fired and the owner of the Pet is allowed to choose to press charges. If at home or on the streets then the person is arrested and charges are brought regardless.

Offenders are punished with either a hefty fine or jail time depending on the offense. If it an owner doing the hurting then the Pet is taken from them and they are barred from ever owning a Pet again.

Okay, i know it's been a looong time since an update. I apologize. See, classes end up having final exams...ugh. I had them all this week. Not fun. Anyways, just to let you know i probably won't be updating for a little while. I'm going home with my close friend for Christmas as a sort of anchor. It's her first Christmas without her dog and she's really depressed. Add to that she has to deal with homophobic, over bearing parents...it won't be fun for her alone. So this chapter goes out to my best friend, Childe of Darkness, for being strong through tough times!


	6. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

One month and a few weeks later found me loading a set of suitcases into the bed of the pickup. Roland was running around chasing the snowflakes that were falling steadily to the ground, while Hiiro stayed up on the front porch. His blue eyes were wide in curiosity, having never seen snow before.

"Come on Hiiro!" Roland called as he pounced into a small pile. The snow shot up around him and he laughed. Hiiro tilted his head and reached out tentatively to put one hand in the snow on the steps. He let out a yelp and leapt back. I chuckled.

"Are you all packed?" I asked Roland.

"Yup. All of our stuff is in the duffels." He answered. "Come ON Hiiro. It's won't bite."

"Hn." I shook my head. The only thing I could get Hiiro to say was 'Hn', and he only made animal-like noises. I was beginning to think that he was incapable of speech like some companion Pets.

"Come on you two. Hiiro, you can walk on it. It's just frozen water." I said. "We need to get going." Roland bounded over and hopped up into the cab of the truck. Hiiro took his time walking over, watching his boots make prints in the snow. He too hopped in the truck and I shut the door.

It was December first, the first day of the one month vacation granted to all senior Preventers. Colonel Une came up with the idea, seeing as there were so few of us seniors, nearly four years ago. All of the other agents got two weeks off through Christmas and New Years eve, although they were always on call.

So as per usual, I was off with my Pet (now Pets) to the big family reunion that took place in the city nearly six hours away. Catherine and Trowa were going as well, although they were leaving in another week. All of our aunts and uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews, and other relatives would be there as well.

"We all ready to go?" I asked as I climbed into the truck. Both Hiiro and Roland nodded. "We'll be some of the first people there so we'll get to choose our room."

"One with a fireplace." Roland said. Hiiro nodded and rubbed his mittened hands. I turned the heat up as we backed out of the driveway and began the long trek. Roland fell asleep after the first hour, having gone with me a few times before. But Hiiro was wide awake and staring out the window as we drove past mountains, forests, small lakes, and fields.

We stopped twice along the way to stretch our legs and grab a bite to eat. It was mostly for Hiiro's benefit: after being stuck inside a metal cage for a long time by his previous owner, he was not happy to be in enclosed spaces for long periods of time.

Finally we made it to the mid-sized hotel I heard had been completely booked by my family members. It was a simple eight story building with an indoor pool, weight room, sauna, and large dining hall according to the pamphlet mailed to me by Catherine.

Fortunately there were no family members waiting for me in the lobby. I let Hiiro, accompanied by Roland, wander through the lobby while I checked us in. I was given a room key for myself and both Pets, a swipe card to get in to the facilities, and a book with a list of dining spots and activities.

The room – I really should call it a suite – was on the sixth floor facing the small river that ran through the city. There was a small sitting area with a TV and radio, a large bathroom complete with shower and Jacuzzi tub, a tiny kitchenette I decided to stock later, and one bedroom with a king sized bed and two cages.

"Impressive." Roland said as he looked around. Hiiro eyed the cages for a moment before becoming enraptured with the view from my window.

"Indeed." I put our luggage on the bed. Roland put his and Hiiro's duffels by the cages while I began to hang up some of my clothes. I was just moving to put my pants in a dresser drawer when there was a knock at the door. The still shy and fearful Hiiro came scrambling in seconds later.

"Alexi! Open up dear and let me in!" I groaned. The first relative to greet was my Great-Aunt Alice…she was going to positively terrify Hiiro.

"Coming Aunt Alice." I called. "Come on." I motioned to Roland, who tugged Hiiro along behind us. They stood back and off to one side as I opened the door to let in the slightly heavyset woman with brown hair and green eyes.

"Oh Alexi! How wonderful to see you!" I oofed as she grabbed me in a hug. "I heard that you got a new Pet!" She said, pulling back. Hiiro was by now behind Roland, watching with wide eyes. "Well where is he?"

"Aunt Alice, calm down. He's been through a lot and you'll scare him if you…."

"OOOHH! How adorable!" I heard Hiiro yelp as Roland was gently pushed aside. Alice scooped him up into her arms and squeezed. "Isn't he just the cutest?!" Hiiro wriggled in her arms and hissed, but she ignored him. I let out a chuckle.

"He is Alice, but you need to let him go. You're frightening him." She gasped and let Hiiro drop to his feet. The poor Pet blinked. Then he took the opportunity to dash back into the bedroom, and most probably under the bed.

"What did I do?" She asked. Roland retreated to comfort Hiiro.

"He was abused before I got him. He's very shy and you just frightened him."

"Oh the poor dear. Did you introduce him to anyone else yet?"

"Only Catherine and Trowa have met him, and that's because they were in the process of adopting when I brought Hiiro in to register him." Alice's eyes brightened.

"Cathy and Trowa got a Pet?" She asked. Oh poor Quatre.

"A feline if I'm not mistaken." She smiled. "How many of the others are here?" I asked. Others meaning family.

"Oh, only a handful: Me and Mark, Jacob and his family, Grace and her Pet." I nodded. "Will you be coming down? We're all gathering in the dining hall."

"As soon as I get Hiiro calmed down." I promised. Alice took her leave and I shook my head as I went in search of Hiiro. I found him with Roland on the bed. "You survived Aunt Alice." I said with a smile. Hiiro grunted. "Well if you've recovered, we're all wanted down stairs in the dining hall."

"Do we have to?" Roland whined. Hiiro nodded comically.

"Yes, I'm afraid so. But don't worry, by now everyone here will know not to touch you Hiiro. Aunt Alice is quite the gossip I'm afraid." Hiiro's ears drooped. "We won't stay down there long, and after this initial gathering we won't be required to join them again. Not en masse that is."

Hiiro let out a whine but obediently got up. I gave him and Roland their keys, as well as permission to come back up here if they needed to. Hiiro clung to his key like a life-line as we made our way to the dining hall on the first floor.

The dining hall was quite large. There was an open area for dancing off to one side, carpeted areas with round tables for eating, and long tables up against the wall for the food. One corner of the room housed a large fireplace and several cushioned chairs.

As Alice had said, there weren't that many people there yet. She and her husband Mark were talking with my cousin Grace. Her Pet was curled up at her feet. Jacob and his wife Tricia were by the drinks, and their two children were running around. They stopped when they saw me, and I braced myself for the explosion.

"UNCLE ALEXI!" Twin voices screeched. The two excited boys slammed into my legs and nearly toppled me over. "You came!"

"Well of course! I wouldn't miss seeing the two of you for the world." They giggled as Tricia came over to pry them away. "Nice to see you as well Trish. How's the third coming along?" The pregnant woman patted her only-just-showing belly.

"Everything's fine. We go in a few weeks to see the gender. I'm hoping for a girl." I congratulated her again on her pregnancy, then introduced her to Hiiro. He accepted a pet on the head from her with no problem, and watched her with curiosity as she moved away.

After I found a seat near the fireplace and Hiiro and Roland curled up by my feet, the real fun began. More of my relatives poured into the dining hall as time passed. Instead of getting up and losing my seat by the warm fire I let them wander to me. Hiiro seemed more relaxed by the fire and I didn't want to upset him too much.

Catherine and Trowa arrived with Quatre about three hours after we did, and immediately copied my actions and claimed seats around the fireplace. Quatre happily launched himself over to Hiiro and Roland, and all three started chirping and growling softly.

Soon the dining hall filled up completely. All of the Pets that meandered over had been at the last gathering, so they introduced themselves to Hiiro and Quatre. I kept one eye on Hiiro, who for the most part seemed relaxed and not panicked at being crowded by the other Pets.

The gathering part of the reunion lasted well into the night. With so many relatives and family members I was surprised it didn't last longer. Roland was still awake and talking with Quatre, but Hiiro had fallen asleep hours ago after climbing into my lap. The crowds had dwindled and air was once again flowing in the room.

It was one o'clock before I said my goodbyes, made plans with Catherine to meet in the lobby at eleven so we could begin our Christmas shopping, then brought my Pets back to our room for sleep.

TBC

Short, I know, but there wasn't all that much to write in this chap about family and stuff.

I'm back from break! And it's good to be back. I swear my parents and Erin's (Childe of Darkness) conspired against us to make us miserable. Due to stress i am muse-sitting Shawnie and Davie ducks flying objects for a while. Erin will be using her other muses to re-write some of her fics and i will be using my own and Shawnie and Davie. Hopefully i'll be able to finish writing The Perfect Soldier Arc.


	7. Chapter Six

Chapter Six

A full night of sleep left me ready for a day of shopping. As per usual the full night left Roland sleepless and hyper enough to bounce as we made our way to the lobby. The dark-haired Pet's happy mood seemed to be rubbing off onto Hiiro, whose ears were swiveling around faster than usual and tail was wagging.

Catherine, Trowa, and Quatre were waiting for us when we got off the elevator. Quatre beamed when he saw Hiiro behind me. The blond feline Pet smiled at Roland too as the three met apart from us.

"Ready for a long day of shopping?" Catherine asked, clapping her hands in excitement. "I figured we'd look around and shop. Pick up gifts for people as we move." I nodded in agreement and patted the pocket that held my several page long list of gifts for the relatives, families, and Pets.

"It sounds good." Catherine beamed, grabbed Trowa's shoulder, and then pulled him off in the direction of the five story mall. I shook my head and followed at my own pace, one eye on the three Pets that were walking with their heads together.

The mall was crowded. Christmas shoppers were everywhere, some with bags in hands others looking around at the shops. The restaurants that lined the entrance were crowded to the point that the waiting lines were backed out the door, and the large oval center of the mall that could be seen from our standing point was streaming with people.

"Time to brave the crowds." I muttered. Hiiro pressed in behind me, suddenly nervous. "Don't worry Hiiro. These people are more worried about getting their gifts than they are about Pets." Hiiro clutched at my arm as we moved through the crowds. Roland and Quatre stuck close as well, but they looked around as we moved while Hiiro kept his gaze firmly on my back.

We stopped first at a clothing store. Catherine dragged Quatre towards the ladies side of the store – she claimed that he had good fashion sense and would be a better asset to her than any of us other males – and Trowa and I went to browse the men's clothing. Hiiro finally released my shirt as we entered a less crowded area and Roland did not waste the opportunity to drag him a few feet away to rifle through the t-shirts on display.

I browsed, keeping one eye on Hiiro and Roland. I managed to find myself a few pairs of pants on sale, and two shirts. Roland I could see had a handful of t-shirts draped over an arm, and Hiiro was holding two while Roland held another up to him.

Trowa held an emerald green button down in one hand when I turned to check his progress, and a pair of whitewashed jeans in the other. We moved on into the appliances section and I picked up a few things for various relatives. New cooking utensils for the chef wanna-be's, a new toaster for my eccentric toaster-loving uncle, and some fancy dining room decorations for a cousin.

We met up with Catherine and a clothing-laden Quatre to check out. She eyed our purchases disapprovingly, but said nothing. We did just begin shopping after all. Our purchases were boxed and would be sent to our hotel, and we set off for our next destination.

Ten stores, nine shirts, eight pairs of pants, two pairs of shoes, two jackets, one suit, socks, boxers, ties, nicknacks, and presents for almost everyone on my list later found us in the food court. Sad to say I had bought the least when it came to clothing, and had been out shopped by Catherine.

Poor Hiiro was exhausted and had his head cushioned on my shoulder as I held him in my arms. Roland was only in better condition because he was used to Catherine and her fast shopping speeds, having been around the last five years. Quatre was still bubbly and stood beside Trowa with a smile.

"Food stop?" I suggested. "Seeing as we are already in the food court, and we need to get some food in these guys." I said, motioning to our Pets.

"Sounds like a plan." Catherine said. We split up to go to our respective food spots: Catherine, Trowa, and Quatre headed to Subway while I headed to the pizza place for a small plain pizza and three medium sodas.

I gently woke Hiiro from his little nap and doled out pieces of pizza while the others made their way over. Roland took to eating the pizza like a pro while I cut Hiiro's up for him so he could easily snatch it up with his teeth – he unfortunately never really picked up on the concept of eating with utensils or his hands.

We ate lunch in a companionable silence before moving on to the next store, which turned out to be a bookstore. I picked out a few books for my younger relatives and also a beginners book for Hiiro. After watching him look at the picture books at home I decided to try to teach him how to read. He didn't see me slip the book into my pile.

Roland bought himself a book, the second of a series, and I bought him the next two without him noticing. Catherine and Trowa bought a few books for themselves, but bought more for younger relatives.

We searched through more clothing stores, resulting in several more outfits for Hiiro, Roland, and Quatre as well as myself and Trowa – Catherine seemed to be finished shopping for herself with the exception of a few shirts or a pair of pants or a skirt now and again.

We finished our shopping in time for dinner at a semi-fancy restaurant. Hiiro was drooping in the seat beside me, and Roland looked ready to pass out in his soup. Quatre was leaning against Trowa with his eyes closed and I knew he'd be out by the time dinner ended.

We returned to the hotel at nine. Hiiro was cradled in my arms, Quatre in Trowa's, and Roland was dragging his feet beside me. If he were smaller he'd be in my arms too, but he was full grown and about the size of a young adult (seventeen or so). We went our separate ways and once in our room Roland kicked off his shoes, went straight to his cage, curled up, and went to sleep.

"Good night Roland." I set Hiiro on the bed and rid him of his shoes. He curled up on his side and sighed. I let him be and gathered a pair of sweats to use as pajamas. Leaving the doors open I took a quick shower before returning to my bedroom. Hiiro was now curled up to a pillow on one side.

I turned off the light and slid in beside him, but didn't touch him. After a few minutes he rolled over and burrowed into my side, pillow forgotten. I pulled the covers over us and drifted off to sleep.

TBC

Another short one, I know, but I couldn't make this longer. I tried, honestly I did!

PRAISE SHINIGAMI!! I was finally able to start the second book of The PErfect Soldier Arc!! I have the prologue thru chapter three done. Hopefully it'll be complete by the weekend...


	8. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

The next two weeks consisted of lazy days lounging around the warm indoor pool, the occasional shopping trip instigated by Catherine, and one sightseeing tour that made Hiiro a new friend.

Hiiro, Roland, and I had joined a small group of relatives on a jaunt through the city. Hiiro and Roland were the only two Pets in the group, and lagged behind as I was dragged along by my arms by the hyper twins. The rest of the adults were watching in amusement and soon took pity on me and requested a short break.

We crowded around a set of benches to open our thermoses and sip some of Alice's homemade hot chocolate. Hiiro and Roland took the time to romp in the snow with the twins. I smiled at both of my gently playing Pets before turning my attention to Jacob. We talked about his job for a while before there was a frantic tug on my sleeve.

"Alexi." I looked down to find Sean, the younger twin, looking nervously up at me. I leaned down. "There's a stranger staring at us." Concerned, I looked over at the other twin, Roland, and Hiiro. I blinked.

"Everybody shh…" The others quieted and looked over. Alicia gasped, but didn't move. Standing in front of Hiiro, who was standing stiffly on all fours with his ears pinned, was a scruffy looking canine Pet with floppy ears and patchy tail. He was sitting on his haunches in the snow, head tilted.

The thin long-sleeve shirt he was wearing didn't hide the fact that he was extremely thin, and the baggy pants hung off of him. His face was dirty, and his clothes threadbare. They couldn't be providing him with much warmth His hair was extremely long, and matted. And there were small scars on his face – barely visible – and he wore no collar. He was a stray.

The stray let out a soft, questioning chuff that made Hiiro's ears perk. I watched in curiosity as Hiiro inched closer. Necks extended and soon they were sniffling each other. Roland held back until the stray looked at him. They too sniffled each other before Roland nodded. Hiiro's tension eased and he let out an almost playful bark.

Conversation started around me again as the two Pets and one Stray began to playfully romp around in the snow. I kept my gaze firmly locked on them while I talked, relaxing more and more as time passed without the three breaking into fights.

When it was time to break out the picnic - Yes I know, who has picnics in the middle of winter? What can I say, my family is a bit on the eccentric side – I called the Pets over with a whistle. Roland bounded over as usual and seated himself next to me in wait.

"Come on Hiiro!" I urged as the thick blanket was spread over the snow. The baskets of food were placed in the center and everybody crowded around. Hiiro dragged his feet on his way over and kept looking over his shoulder at the Stray, who had plopped on his butt in the snow.

"Invite that Stray on over." Alicia suggested when she noticed Hiiro's lack of enthusiasm over joining us. "Looks like they made friends, and he looks hungry the dear."

"Come on Hiiro. Bring your friend over too." I motioned to the Stray, whose ears perked. Hiiro lit up. He whirled around and ran back to the Stray, chattering in little yips and growls. He tugged the suddenly timid Stray over to us and settled himself on my other side. "Have a seat." I invited. The Stray settled beside Hiiro, although he kept looking around in curiosity.

The plates were passed out. Then the food was passed around. I selected my own meal before letting Roland and Hiiro pick their own. The Stray watched with wide violet eyes as the basket came to him. He looked at everyone's full plate before piling some food on his own with a happy grin.

Once everyone was served we began to eat. Duo chattered with Hiiro as he ate, and Roland gave me a running commentary. The Stray, who claimed his name was Duo, was part of a small pack of Strays that lived in the area around the park and our hotel.

According to him the whole city was divided into "territories" that were run by packs of strays. This area in his opinion was by far the best because his pack didn't attack humans. Some of the other packs in the other areas attacked humans for the fun of it, and also bullied the tame Pets as well as the Strays with no pack.

"His pack brother Solo was killed by one of the other packs recently." Roland said quietly. "He says for you guys to be careful. The other pack bordering theirs is moving in to this area."

"I see." I watched Duo as he chattered animatedly with Hiiro. The meal was finished rather quickly. Jacob ended up carrying one of the now sleepy twins, and I offered to carry the other.

Duo followed us as we returned to the hotel, but disappeared by the time we reached the doors. Hiiro looked disappointed as we stepped into the warm air. I handed Sean to his mother and we parted ways. Hiiro trudged along as we returned to our room. "Cheer up Hiiro. We'll see Duo again before we leave here. We still have another week." Hiiro perked up.

And see Duo again we did. Almost every time we stepped out of the hotel, Duo was waiting for us off to one side. He and Hiiro would play tag as we trekked along to wherever it was we were going, while Roland watched from his spot by my side. When I asked why he didn't join them, he sighed and told me he wasn't feeling up to it.

I began to get worried.

TBC

UGH! They keep getting shorter! I'm sorry about that but the way I divided the outline made it like this so that the story makes sense.

And here's some more info!

Strays:

Much like cats and dogs, Pets have their own "territories". Owned Pets consider their house and yard their territory and may become defensive if another Pet wanders across without permission.

Strays, or un-owned Pets, band together to form packs that can cover several miles of land as a "territory". Like wolves, they will fight to protect that territory from other Strays.

I finally finished Book Two of The Perfect Soldier Arc!! I'm having my new beta read it through, and i'll post it sometime this weekend.


	9. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Three days before our scheduled return home, tragedy struck. The skies were clear of the clouds that dotted them the past few days, and the new snow on the ground glistened. It was the warmest it had been our entire vacation so Hiiro, Roland, and I stepped out of the hotel to take a walk around the city.

Duo was waiting for us as usual, but for some reason he seemed twitchy today. He kept looking around us, instead of playing with Hiiro. And more than once I could see shadows darting around in the alleys. At one point another Stray – this one with creamy hair, pale skin, and stormy grey eyes – barked sharply at us. Duo barked back just as sharply and the other Stray left.

"He says that's Solo's older blood brother." Roland said when Duo started chattering. We moved on and I pushed the thought of the mean-looking Stray out of my mind. Duo became more playful and the mood seemed to lighten.

We reached the usual turn around location – a coffee shop – and crossed the street. A chill shot down my spine as we stepped onto the curb and Duo tensed. A low growling sound resonated from the large alley. Hiiro tensed and his ears pinned. Beside me Roland froze.

A large, well-built Stray came into view. Dark hair hung limply in his face, which was riddled with scars, and torn ears were stuck foreword boldly. Cold yellow eyes met mine and fangs were bared. I took an involuntary step back. Duo began to chatter at the Stray, but his body was tense and seemed ready to spring.

I watched in mounting horror as the Stray snapped his jaws at Duo's chattering. Hiiro took up a fighting stance beside Duo, but I couldn't find it in me to tell him to back off. A quick glance around showed empty streets. Then Duo growled something and it all happened at once.

The Stray threw himself at Duo with a fierce snarl but was knocked out of the air by Hiiro, who had leapt from his spot beside Duo. I watched, frozen, as the two tumbled across the snow. Then I was hit from the side and crashed into the snow. Once I regained my breath I looked up to find Roland standing protectively in front of me, blocking me from a second Stray.

I was frozen, and could do nothing but watch as Roland engaged the new Stray in a savage fight. There were more growls and soon I noticed Duo also fighting a Stray, and several more were watching from the sidelines. They noticed me as well, but before they could move there was a howl.

I admit that by now I was terrified. The Stray from earlier, Duo's friend, had entered the fray along with several others. Blood, fur, cloth, and skin flew as the Strays battled around me. I edged over to one of the large garbage bins and made scrambled to the top.

The fight lasted no more than ten minutes, although it seemed like hours. Roland fell under the Stray he was fighting. Many more fell under their opponents. Hiiro had been pushed out of the way by Duo's friend, and was now battling a smaller Stray that fell seconds after I spotted them.

When it was over, Duo's friend stood over the one who had initially attacked. All fighting stopped, and four Strays took off into the alleys. The remaining Strays were either dead, injured too badly to walk, or part of the victorious pack.

As I recovered from the fright, the pack vanished into the alleys leaving Duo and Hiiro standing by Roland's body. Hiiro was weaving where he crouched, and had his head lowered. I could see blood dripping onto the snow. Duo wasn't much better off. And Roland….

I leapt down and shakily ran over to the trio. I fell to my knees beside Roland, breathing a sigh of relief when I noticed he was still alive and breathing. But he was injured badly. "Where's the nearest vet?" I gasped. Duo pointed shakily behind me. I scooped Roland into my arms and spun around.

I ran down the street as quickly as I could without hurting Roland further. I could hear Hiiro and Duo struggling behind me, but I couldn't slow down and didn't until I found the building labeled Vet.

I burst into the room, and must have startled the receptionist. She let out a screech before taking charge and leading me back to a clean room. The on duty vet rushed in seconds later and pushed me aside.

"What happened?" He asked harshly.

"We were walking…..some Strays attacked us…." I panted, dropping into the sole plastic chair.

"Damn Strays and their damn territory battles." The man cursed, using a wet cloth to clear the blood off Roland's chest and neck. "You're the tenth person here in three weeks because of them. The damn catchers don't do their duty…. Is he it?" I blinked.

"It?" I repeated.

"In the attack." It dawned on me then.

"No. My other Pet Hiiro was there too. He's in the waiting room, or should be. Him and one of the Strays that helped us."

"Are they critical?" The vet was now poking and prodding, cloth in hand. Roland twitched on the table.

"Injured bad, but not critical I think. Roland is the worst off." I said softly. I was silent as the vet worked. A blood sample was taken and analyzed while he began cleaning the wounds. When the results came back he stopped all work and turned to me.

"What? Why did you stop?" I asked wearily.

"Has he been behaving abnormally?" He asked. I frowned. "Has he been lethargic, lost any weight, become sick recently or frequently?"

"He has been more subdued than normal. And he has lost some weight." I said. "As for being sick….only once. He had a cold before we came up. Why?" The man sighed.

"He has the Feline Leukemia Virus." I froze. "He hasn't had it for long, and it's entirely treatable."

"So what's the problem?" I asked.

"In the condition he's in, he probably wouldn't survive treatment and we can't NOT treat him. It'll kill him." I hunched bonelessly in the chair. "It might be more humane to put him to sleep now and spare him the suffering."

"I…I…You're sure there's no way?" The man shook his head sadly. I pushed myself up and stumbled over to the table and cringed. Roland was white as a sheet. The wounds from the fight stood out against his skin. There were deep puncture marks from bites, claw marks, and it looked like his opponent had taken a good bite out of his throat. "There's no way to pull him through this, then treat him when he's stable?"

"By the time I stabilize him and keep him that way, with the state he's in the virus will have worked through his system. He's just too weak." I sighed and nodded. Then I gently placed my hand on Roland's head. He didn't even stir. "He's slipping. What do you want me to do?"

"I…Put him out of his misery." I said, tears in my eyes. I heard the vet rummage around, and then he was in front of me. He gave me a sympathetic smile. I let out a harsh breath and wiped away a few tears as he injected Roland with a clear liquid. "It's okay buddy." The man readied his stethoscope. "Good boy. You protected me. Thank you. Good boy."

"He's gone." I lowered my head. "I'm sorry. Do you want a minute?"

"See to Hiiro and Duo?" I asked quietly. The man left a sheet on the counter and retreated. I shakily removed Roland's collar. His body was cold. "I'm sorry boy." I covered his body with the sheet and left the room.

Hiiro and Duo were in the waiting room when I stepped out, not budging from their chairs for the doctor. Hiiro saw Roland's collar in my hand and gave a weary, questioning mewl. I put the collar in my pocket.

"Come on boys, up. I know you're tired but the vet needs to see to you." I said wearily. Hiiro mewled again and I lifted him up, careful of his wounds. Duo hung his head. "You too Duo. Come on." He looked up in surprise and….understanding. He knew what the collar meant.

Blood tests were done, and they thankfully came back negative although Duo's showed his need for all of the shots. I nodded for them to be given. Time flew as the pair were cleaned, treated, and bandaged.

I paid the bills and signed for Roland's body to be shipped back home to Noin. He would be buried in the cemetery not far from home. I gathered Hiiro up in my arms and headed back to the hotel.

Without even thinking I stopped Duo from disappearing like usual and instead brought him up for the rest of the day and the night. As they curled up, I lay back on my bed. I had some serious considering to do…

TBC

One more chapter.

The virus mentioned is a real virus, but for the purposes of my fic it is a virus that is very hard to treat. According to various sites it is actually really simple in real life to treat.

Strays:

Strays also tend to dislike humans either because the were abused or abandoned by them. Most only tend to stay out of a humans way, but some attack.


	10. Epilogue

Epilogue

I sat in the bathroom, on the hard floor, with a frown. Hiiro was watching me silently from his perch on the toilet, head tilted. His ears – one now complete with a tear to the side - were perked. His tail hung to the side, twitching every now and then.

Sitting in front of me with his back to me was Duo, the Stray Hiiro befriended over our vacation. I had just finished giving him a bath and was now staring at the sopping wet strands of matted hair.

"Are you sure you won't let me cut it?" I asked once again, smiling when Duo turned to give me a pout. "All right. Hiiro, hand me the brush?" Hiiro tossed me a brush. I took to brushing through the tangled mess of hair in front of me.

Nearly two hours later, we were finished. I twisted Duo's hair into a thick braid and patted him on the shoulder. "All finished." I said. Duo leapt up onto his fours, turned around, and gave me a big lick on the cheek. I made a show of wiping it off and laughed as he yipped at Hiiro. The two flew out the door and I cleaned up the bathroom.

As I made my way across the hall to my bedroom I caught sight of a thin black nylon collar hanging in a case of the wall - Roland's collar. Duo had taken it upon himself to explain to Hiiro what happened to Roland, for which I was grateful. I don't think I would have been able to tell him that his friend was dead.

The doorbell rang and shook me out of my musing. I could hear Hiiro yap in greeting at whoever was at our door and seconds later Catherine's voice rang out in greeting. "Hello Catherine, Trowa. I'll be right there." I dumped the laundry down the chute to the basement.

When I arrived in the living room I saw Quatre play wrestling with Hiiro and Duo. Trowa and Catherine were sitting on the couch watching them. They looked up at me as I plopped myself in the other chair.

"How are you?" Catherine asked.

"Doing better."

"And Hiiro?"

"He's taking it a lot easier than I thought he would. I think it's because he has Duo." She nodded.

"He's registered?"

"Yes." I said. I pulled a black leather collar out of my pocket with a smile. "He took it off before I gave him a bath." I put the collar on the end table. "Something tells me I'll have trouble keeping it on him."

"You're probably right." We watched our Pets romp around the living room, and I hoped that Duo wouldn't be as bad of an influence on Hiiro as feared.

Owari

Yes, finished. I did leave it open for a sequel though, should I decide to continue it after I finish book 2 of The Perfect Soldier Arc.


End file.
